Until recently, Stewart Lee was still flogging his own DVDs in the foyer after
his shows, but a couple of BBC2 series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and a pair of 2011 British Comedy Awards have taken him on to the next level, a state of affairs that doesn’t sit entirely comfortably with this most contrary of standups.
On Carpet Remnant World ★★★★★, Lee brilliantly plays off this awkward dichotomy, dividing his audience into those who ‘get’ his multi-layered deconstructionism and those who are only there because they’ve seen him on the telly, explaining to them: ‘I’m so good at stand-up, I make it look as if I can’t do it.’
The show’s thrust is that Lee is devoid of material, since he spends his days either driving up and down motorways to gigs or watching Scooby Doo with his young son. So he’s taken to cruising London’s North Circular in the vain hope that something funny will happen, thereby neatly mocking the observational style of comedy favoured by so many successful stand-ups.
Only Lee could get away with writing a show about not having a show, but he pulls all the threads together with such understated aplomb that you can’t help but marvel at his utterly distinct approach. Really, it’s ridiculously good.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log